Red-hot Virat Kohli in focus as RCB host shaky DC:Can KL Rahul sparkle on Chinnaswamy return again?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to lock horns with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 26th match in IPL 2026 on Saturday, 18 April. The match starts at 3:30 PM IST with the toss scheduled for 3:00 PM. With four wins in five matches, RCB have been in red-hot form this season. Delhi Capitals, meanwhile, have had a tough time so far, losing two consecutive matches after winning two games to start their campaign. With four points, the Axar Patel-led outfit sit sixth on the points table. Both teams had one win each against the other in two matches last year. Their first showdown at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium saw KL Rahul dish out a sparkling 93-run unbeaten knock of 53 balls, which took the Delhi Capitals past the finish line. RCB, meanwhile, gained redemption for that defeat by DC in their own den, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the reverse fixture last year. It will be interesting to see if Rahul can replicate his match-winning performance from last year. RCB would put away their red jerseys for this match, donning green as part of their yearly initiative to protect the environment. RCB vs DC, IPL 2026, Match Details Match info: Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals, match 26 Date Time: 18 April 2026, 3:30 PM IST (Toss at 3:00 PM) Venue: M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru How to watch: JioHotstar Star Sports How to follow: Follow the live coverage on the Bhaskar English App RCB vs DC, head-to-head record Bengaluru and Delhi have faced each other 33 times in the IPL. RCB lead the rivalry with 20 wins, while DC have won 12 matches, and one ended without a result. RCB’s scores range from 137 to 215, while DC have posted between 95 and 196, making their encounters competitive and exciting. Virat, Bhuvneshwar bring experience on-field for Bengaluru Virat Kohli is certainly one player on whom there will be a lot of focus. The Orange Cap holder after 24 matches in the tournament so far, Kohli has hit 228 runs in five matches, including two half-centuries. The RCB great has scored 228 runs in five matches with a strike rate of 158.33. On the other hand, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has taken seven wickets for RCB this season. He conceded runs with an economy of 8.70. Apart from Bhuvneshwar, RCB also have other pacers who are in form, the likes of which include Rasikh Salam Dar and Josh Hazlewood, who combined to pick up five wickets in the last match. Sameer Rizvi, Lungi Ngidi shining lights for Delhi so far For Delhi, youngster Sameer Rizvi is shining with 166 runs in his four matches played so far. He has scored runs with a strike rate of 153.70. On the other hand, former RCB pacer, Lungi Ngidi, bagged five wickets for DC so far. He conceded runs with an economy of 8.04, with his best being 3/27 this season. Balanced battle between Virat Kuldeep in IPL history RCB legend had faced chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav in 7 innings in the tournament. Virat scored 75 runs, facing 64 balls with a strike rate of 117.18. However, Kuldeep had deceived the veteran batter only once in the tournament history. Bhuvi has a slight edge against Rahul KL Rahul has scored 109 runs, facing 99 balls against the veteran RCB pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He had scored runs with a strike rate of 110.10 in 11 innings. However, in the tournament history, Bhuvi had dismissed Rahul twice. He conceded runs with an economy of 6.60. M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch report The pitch is flat and hard with very little grass, offering consistent pace and bounce, which makes batting easier. While fast bowlers may get slight help early on, it soon turns into a high-scoring surface. Spinners struggle due to a lack of grip and short boundaries, while dew in the second innings further makes bowling difficult in Bengaluru. So, the team winning the toss first should elect to field first. Bengaluru weather report On Friday afternoon, the weather is expected to be clear for this match and there is no forecast of rain. The temperature for this match will hover between 32-38 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere is expected to be 22% humid with a dew point of 11 degrees in Bengaluru.